Fatah: We Will Turn to UN by November 29

Despite pressure from the US, Fatah officials claim they will approach the UN about recognition of a Palestinian state by end of this week.

Contact Editor

Cynthia Blank, 23/11/14 08:39

Nabil Shaath

Flash 90

Dr. Nabil Shaath, commissioner of international relations for Fatah, denied reports Sunday morning that the Palestinian Authority is rejecting the request to the United Nations regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian news website Donia Al-Watan reported Shaath's comments, including that the Palestinian Authority will appeal to the UN by the end of the week, Israel'sChannel 10 reported.

"At a meeting of the Central Committee two days, we confirmed that we will turn to the UN by the 29th of November, in timing with the Arab Summit Meeting in Cairo, which Mahmoud Abbas, will attend," Shaath told the news website.

Another Fatah official confirmed that pressure from the United States to prevent such a unilateral move has not ceased for a moment, but he said, "they will not help in the face of the danger of losing the land and Jerusalem."

Regarding the international community's recognition of a Palestinian state, particularly recent European parliaments' votes to do so, Shaath added that, "this is the result of actions Fatah has taken internationally. We are currently trying recruit the support of other large countries, such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa."

Last Tuesday, Spain's parliament in Madrid called on the Spanish government to recognize a Palestinian state in coordination with any similar move by the European Union, and "only when Israel and the Palestinian reach a joint solution to the conflict."

The motion passed almost unanimously in the lower house of Spain's parliament. 319 parliamentarians voted in favor, two opposed, and there was one abstention.

The actions of Spain's parliament follow similar moves by Britain and Ireland's parliaments last month. French parliamentarians will also vote on the matter on November 28.

However, not everyone in Europe is in favor. German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the wave in European Parliaments of symbolically recognizing a Palestinian state.

At a press conference with Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, Merkel said Germany has no intentions of taking similar steps to Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

Merkel also made clear the press conference that Berlin supports the two-state solution. "We see how hard it is, and we do not believe that unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state will advance us toward that goal," Merkel stated.

She added: "It is better to focus on the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to resolve the conflict, although it seems very difficult under present circumstances."